RG&E Nearing Full Restoration Following Severe Thunderstorms

Company has restored power to nearly 10,000 customers

 

ROCHESTER, New York — July 2, 2026— Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) are nearing full restoration following high winds and thunderstorms Wednesday evening. RG&E experienced approximately 10,000 outages last night, with service restored to most customers as of Thursday evening.

 

Crews worked around the clock and through intense heat to restore power quickly to communities affected.  RG&E’s Rochester Central Division, which includes Monroe and Orleans counties, was most significantly impacted. The vast majority of impacted customers in Rochester Central are expected to have power restored by 10pm tonight.

 

Crews will continue to assess the extent of damage and make critical network repairs as safely and quickly as possible. This includes setting poles to replace those damaged in the storm and repairing numerous downed wires. Efforts will continue until every customer has their power restored.

 

How to Stay Up-to-Date 

RG&E will continue to provide updates throughout the event on its websites and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and X). Customers should also sign up for email alerts and download the RG&E mobile app to get the most up-to-date information.  

  

Safety Tips 

The Company offers the following reminders as the storm continues to impact the region to stay safe if power outages occur. 

 

  • Sign up for Outage Alerts to receive updates automatically by phone, text, or email as the Company updates the status of the restoration process in their area. Customers can sign up for outage alerts by visting here for RG&E. 
  • Keep battery-operated flashlights and radios on hand, along with supplies of drinking water and non-perishable foods. 
  • Make sure that smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices are fully charged. 
  • Fill your car’s fuel tank. 

 

Stay away from downed wires: 

  • Stay at least 30 feet from a downed power line. 
  • If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, jump clear of the vehicle to avoid any contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and hop with feet together or shuffle away; don’t run or stride. 
  • RG&E customers should call 1.800.743.1701 to report downed power lines or other hazardous situations. 

 

During a power interruption: 

  • Contact neighbors to see if their power is off. A loss of power may be the result of a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. 
  • Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible. Most food will last 24 hours if you minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors. 

 

Power restoration priorities: 

The Company’s first priority is to respond to reports of downed power lines to keep the public safe.  RG&E customers are asked to call at 1.800.743.1701 to report downed wires.  

 

Once this vital public safety work is complete, the company will: 

  • Assess the damage to the electricity delivery system. 
  • Develop a detailed restoration plan. 
  • Make repairs as quickly as possible. 

 

For additional information, including storm preparation tips, storm safety information, generator safety information, restoration priorities and emergency resources, visit Outage Central at RGE.com and on the company’s social media pages: 

 

  • Facebook: @RochGandE 
  • X: @RGandE 
  • Instagram: @rochestergasandelectric 

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About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit www.rge.com.

 

About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. is a leading energy company in the United States working to meet the growing demand for energy for homes and businesses across the nation through service, innovation, and continued investments by expanding grid infrastructure and energy generation projects. Avangrid has offices in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and Oregon, including operations in 23 states with approximately $48 billion in assets, and has two primary lines of business: networks and power. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.4 million customers in New York and New England. Through its power generation business, Avangrid owns and operates 80 energy generation facilities across the United States producing 10.5 GW of power for over 3.1 million customers. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2025 for the fifth consecutive year. The company was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2025 for the seventh consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit http://www.avangrid.com.

 

Media Contact:
Florencia Feleder
Florencia.Feleder@avangrid.com  
838.292.6869